Reddit is rolling out a new feature that will allow users to block ads from specific advertisers for up to a year. The update, designed to give users greater control over their ad experience, is set to become available across iOS, Android, and the web in the coming weeks.
According to Reddit, “We’ve heard feedback that redditors want more control over the ads they see on Reddit. So, this week, we’ll start rolling out an update to do just that: redditors will now have the ability to ‘Hide’ an ad from their feed – and when you do, we’ll automatically hide future ads from that advertiser account for at least a year.”
The new feature is expected to improve user experience by allowing individuals to remove ads they find irrelevant or repetitive. However, from a business standpoint, it raises concerns about how many ad slots Reddit may lose if large numbers of users take advantage of the tool.
To prevent excessive ad blocking, Reddit has implemented a limit on the number of advertisers a user can block. While the exact cap has not been disclosed, some users have already reported receiving notifications when they reach their daily block limit. This restriction is likely intended to balance user preferences with ad revenue considerations.
Despite the risks, Reddit has been expanding its advertising products, including introducing conversation ads within comment sections and AMA ads earlier this year. By increasing ad inventory while offering users more control, Reddit aims to maintain engagement while refining its advertising strategy. Of course, this also has the downside of potentially disrupting paid advertising campaigns by allowing users to completely disconnect from them – something that may force the platform to rethink its advertising tools in the near future.
